Mogherini to Ankara: rule of law must prevail

The Turkish authorities must respect constitutional and fundamental rights.

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The Turkish authorities must respect constitutional and fundamental rights in responding to the failed military coup, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on Monday.

"We call for the full observance of Turkey's constitutional order and we as the European Union stress the importance for the rule of law prevailing in the country," she told a news conference on July 18 after EU foreign ministers met U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Brussels.

"We share concerns about what is happening in the country in these hours. We need to respect, have Turkey respect, democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms."

President Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday told crowds of supporters that parliament must consider their demands to apply the death penalty for the plotters.

Turkey gave up the death penalty in 2004 as part of a program of reforms required to become a candidate to join the EU. Germany said on Monday that Turkey would lose its EU status if it reinstates the death penalty.

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